NETL experts attended the American Society of Mechanical Engineers (ASME) Turbomachinery Technical Conference and Exposition — also known as the Turbo Expo — in Phoenix, Arizona, June 17-21 to support finding new solutions to today’s energy challenges. The three-day annual exhibition attracts the industry’s leading professionals and key decision-makers whose innovation and expertise help shape the future of the turbomachinery industry. At the expo, NETL showcased its capabilities by displaying its research and development competencies and exploration into coal-fueled turbine-based power systems to attendees. The conference featured over 300 paper sessions with more than 1,000 papers and more than 80 panel, tutorial and lecture sessions. Richard Dennis, a member of the NETL’s Efficient Energy Conversion team, chaired panel sessions surrounding important issues relevant to the turbomachinery industry. Topics ranged from discussing the U.S. Department of Energy’s Advanced Turbines Program to future trends and opportunities in turbomachinery and clean energy technology.

The U.S. Department of Energy’s Office of Fossil Energy and NETL is announcing selections of seven projects to receive $5.4 million in federal funding for university-based research and development under funding opportunity announcement (FOA) DE-FOA-0001993, University Turbine Systems Research (UTSR). The projects will address and resolve scientific challenges and applied-engineering technology issues associated with advancing the performance and efficiency of combustion turbines and turbine-based power cycles in fossil fuel power generation. DOE selected these projects as part of the University Turbine Systems Research program, which manages a research, development, and demonstration portfolio designed to remove environmental concerns over the future use of fossil fuels by developing revolutionary, near-zero-emission advanced turbines technologies.

The U.S. Department of Energy’s National Energy Technology Laboratory (NETL), in partnership with Energy Industries of Ohio Inc., is set to scaleup the fabrication of components made from advanced nickel superalloys, that will help bring advanced ultrasupercritical (AUSC) power plant technology to the level of readiness for commercial-scale demonstration. Conventional coal-fired power plants, which generate steam to drive a power generation turbine, operate with efficiencies varying from 32 to 42 percent, depending upon the age and design of the plant. AUSC power plants can potentially operate at temperatures and pressures higher than current state-of the-art coal-fired power plants —  about 25 percent more efficient than the average U.S. coal-fired power plant fleet, and 10 percent more efficient than state-of-the-art coal-fired power plants. AUSC power plants would require less coal per megawatt-hour, resulting in lower emissions, and lower fuel costs per megawatt.

The U.S. Department of Energy’s (DOE’s) Office of Fossil Energy (FE) and NETL have announced up to $6.0 million in federal funding for research and development (R&D) under the funding opportunity announcement (FOA) DE-FOA-0001993, University Turbine Systems Research (UTSR). The FOA seeks to solicit and competitively award university-based R&D projects that address and resolve scientific challenges and applied engineering technology issues associated with the performance and efficiency of combustion turbines in fossil fuel power generation. Projects will support DOE’s University Turbine Systems Research program. This FOA focuses on five areas of interest (AOIs).

The U.S. Department of Energy’s (DOE) Office of Fossil Energy (FE) has issued a Notice of Intent (NOI) for a funding opportunity announcement (FOA) for cost-shared research and development (R&D) projects for U.S. universities to conduct early-stage combustion turbine research. The objective of the FOA is to fund R&D that addresses and resolves scientific challenges and applied engineering technology issues associated with advancing the performance and efficiency of combustion turbines in combined cycle applications (e.g., integrated gasification combined cycle/natural gas combined cycle) in fossil fuel power generation. The FOA will seek to solicit and competitively award laboratory/bench-scale R&D in the following five technical topic areas:

Research conducted in NETL’s High Pressure Combustion Facility could someday enable lower consumer electricity bills. Unlocking Higher Efficiency Turbines Through Pressure Gain Combustion NETL’s ground-breaking research on a process to increase the efficiency of power-producing turbines is attracting research partners from some of the nation’s leading academic institutions as well as the U.S. Air Force, and the results could someday mean lower consumer electricity bills.

Turbines are essential in meeting America’s power demands, producing electricity at virtually every power plant in the United States. With fossil fuels projected to remain the dominant source of energy for decades to come, advanced combustion turbine technology will play a critical role in capitalizing on the nation’s vast domestic resources. While many energy technologies are focused on one specific application, advanced combustion turbines offer versatility in their ability to be adapted for use in a variety of power systems – including those fueled by coal or natural gas, combined with pre- or post-combustion carbon capture. NETL’s work to improve advanced combustion turbines seeks to boost overall turbine efficiency, cut the cost of electricity, reduce pollutant emissions and enable more affordable carbon capture options.

The U.S. Department of Energy’s (DOE) Office of Fossil Energy (FE) has issued a Request for Information (RFI) for input on the development of improvements in steam-based power cycles applicable to coal-fueled boilers. The objective of this RFI is to support DOE’s mission to lead research and technology development that promotes better steam turbine performance through advanced design and manufacturing techniques. This RFI seeks stakeholder input about research and development activities that could lead to performance improvements in steam based power cycles applicable to coal-fueled boilers. Specifically, DOE FE is interested in gathering information relevant to three technical areas:

The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) has selected 14 projects to receive approximately $7 million in federal funding under the funding opportunity announcement, DE-FOA-0001816, Advanced Components for 65 Percent Combined Cycle Efficiency, Super Critical Carbon Dioxide (sCO2) Power Cycles and Advanced Modular Heat Engines. These cost-shared research and development projects will support the goals of The Office of Fossil Energy’s Advanced Energy Systems Program by developing advanced, highly efficient, turbine-based technologies for coal-derived synthesis gas, coal-derived hydrogen, and natural gas. The National Energy Technology Laboratory (NETL) will manage the projects, described below: Area of Interest 1: Advanced Combustion Turbines for Combined Cycle Applications

The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) has announced up to $5.5 million in federally funded financial assistance for cost-shared research and development projects under the first phase of the Office of Fossil Energy’s funding opportunity announcement (FOA) Advanced Components for 65% Combined-Cycle Efficiency, SCO2 Power Cycles and Advanced Modular Hybrid Heat Engines. Selected projects will support DOE’s Advanced Coal and Power Systems goals by developing advanced, highly efficient, turbine-based technologies applicable to fossil fuels, including coal-derived synthesis gas, coal-derived hydrogen, and natural gas. The projects will be managed by the National Energy Technology Laboratory. The FOA focuses on three areas of interest (AOIs):